211 Case Study

When a Mentor Becomes a Thief:
A Case Study Analysis
JOE MARI N. FLORES, CPAss

Introduction
It was widely reported a few months ago that

a pharmacy professor, Ashim Mitra at the
University of Missouri allegedly stole his gifted
student’s research, sold it to a pharmaceutical
company, and did not credit his student or the
university with having made the discovery.
Introduction
• Issues pertaining to corruption of students’
research are visible in X University in the previous
years, where research advisers allegedly take the soft
copy of their advisee’s manuscripts or copies of
research materials and eventually publish it with
different publications or worst sell it with the students
from other institutions.
• Since outputs of the students are not published in

any medium locally or internationally, such act where
not able to be detected the authorities of the university.
Did You Know?
“Ghost authoring " - works in most universities

much like a pyramid scheme. PhD students put
the real work in at the bottom of the pyramid,
while academics at the top benefit. Frequently, a
senior academic’s name is used on a paper to
gain access to a prestigious journal, to curry
favour with a particular editor and so on. In other
words, academic journals themselves have failed
to care more about the actual ideas in a paper,
over the name of the author.
Literature
Plagiarism can occur at any point in the career of a

researcher, but it is more frequently reported in the early
stages (Martinson et al. 2005), and relatively few studies
have explored its origins during undergraduate and early
post-graduate research (Krstic, 2015). Early training stages
may constitute a critical period to prevent plagiarism, when
students begin to actively engage in research. If
uncorrected, plagiarism and cheating may continue
throughout the researcher’s career, and can potentially lead
to other misconduct (Lovett-Hopper et al. 2007; Park
2003). .
Literature
It is ironic if the mentor is the one

plagiarizing the output of the students.
Several recorded cases around the internet
Professors becoming a ghost author,
where academics take the credit for the
work of their PhD students. Academics
leverage their seniority to demand that
students credit them in every single article
they write, regardless of their actual
contribution.
Findings
During compliance of the research course,

the alleged thesis adviser will require the
researchers to submit the softcopy of the
manuscript in a CD format, where such is
not a requirement. Although, thesis
advisers become co-authors automatically
of the study but student researchers
should be given proper credits, in any
ways when it is to be published.
Conclusion
Research plays a vital part in a promotion,

especially if you are connected with the
academe. However, we as professors or
mentors should be their role models
towards our student. In no circumstance,
benefitting from the expense of the other
becomes ethical. We should be promoted
based on what we have substantially
achieved and reached.
Recommendation
It is highly recommended to place internal

policies pertaining to intellectual property
of the students as a result of the hard work
in thesis writing. Moreover, it is also
relevant to subject all research personnel
on which line their authority as research
personnel ends. It is important to value the
core values of Honesty and Integrity which
should emanate from school.
Works Cited
• “Boston Columnist Resigns Amid New Plagiarism Charges.”
CNN.com 19 Aug. 1998 3 March 2003
<http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/19/barnicle/>
• Fain, Margaret. “Internet Paper Mills.” Kimbal Library. 12 Feb.
2003. <http://www.coastal.edu/library/mills2.htm>
• Lathrop, Ann and Kathleen Foss. Student Cheating and
Plagiarism in the Internet Era. Englewood, CO: Libraries
Unlimited, 2000.
• Lewis, Mark. “Doris Kearns Goodwin And The Credibility Gap.”
Forbes.com 2 Feb. 2002.
<http://www.forbes.com/2002/02/27/0227goodwin.html>
• “New York Times Exposes Fraud of own Reporter.” ABC News
Online. 12 May, 2003.
<http://www.pbs.org/newshour/newshour_index.html>
• Sabato, Larry J. “Joseph Biden's Plagiarism; Michael Dukakis's
'Attack Video' – 1988.” Washington Post Online. 1998. 3 March
2002. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/biden.htm>

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When a Mentor Becomes a Thief:

A Case Study Analysis

JOE MARI N. FLORES, CPAss

It was widely reported a few months ago that

• Since outputs of the students are not published in

“Ghost authoring " - works in most universities

Plagiarism can occur at any point in the career of a

It is ironic if the mentor is the one

During compliance of the research course,

Research plays a vital part in a promotion,

It is highly recommended to place internal

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